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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24880015">Say What You Wanna Say</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazel1706/pseuds/hazel1706'>hazel1706</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stranger Things (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Background Harringrove, Billy Hargrove Is Bad at Feelings, F/F, First Kiss, Getting Together, Steve Harrington is a Sweetheart, Werewolf Mates</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:55:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,461</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24880015</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazel1706/pseuds/hazel1706</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Heather’s been dancing around asking Robin out for the past three weeks. Billy has probably had enough of her flip-flopping between waxing poetic and bemoaning how complicated dating humans gets. <br/>Especially since he had ended up in a storage closet with Steve on his knees a whole thirty minutes after they met, and they’d been fucking anywhere and everywhere ever since.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Robin Buckley/Heather Holloway</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Say What You Wanna Say</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>title from brave by sara bareilles<br/>prompted fic! this one's for u kaycee 💕💕</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Heather’s been dancing around asking Robin out for the past three weeks. Billy has probably had enough of her flip-flopping between waxing poetic and bemoaning how complicated dating humans gets. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Especially since </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> had ended up in a storage closet with Steve on his knees a whole thirty minutes after they met, and they’d been fucking anywhere and everywhere ever since. She’s getting sick of smelling salt and sex and </span>
  <em>
    <span>Steve</span>
  </em>
  <span> all over their apartment, but they’ve showed no signs of slowing down. Billy’s smug as hell about it too. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>loves</span>
  </em>
  <span> having Steve’s scent all over their living space, the disgusting sap.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, he’s still being </span>
  <em>
    <span>Billy</span>
  </em>
  <span> about the situation, but at least he was getting some action in between bouts of </span>
  <em>
    <span>what if he leaves me when he finds out </span>
  </em>
  <span>angst.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whereas Heather is burning through more AAA batteries than she can afford to. Constantly plagued with thoughts of leaving lipstick mark up Robin’s neck, teeth on her collarbone, what that husky voice would sound like wrecked and breathy in her ear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s becoming a problem.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And the closer they get to the full moon the harder it is to be around Robin. The more she wants to just throw caution to the wind, bury her face in Robin’s cleavage and ride her thigh into oblivion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> just do that, because they like the same shitty indie bands, and Robin’s rants about the film industry are the highlight of her day, and her laugh makes Heather’s heart do backflips, and…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s human.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather can’t just jump her and run, because she’s head over fucking heels for this girl, but she has no idea how Robin would react to the werewolf revelation, so… She’s stuck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As much as Billy pokes fun at her, and lords his relationship with Steve over her, they both know he’s being just as much of an idiot as she is. The wolf isn’t something you can hide from a partner, not for long. Billy’s playing a dangerous game.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then again, that’s kind of his thing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Point is, by the time the full moon comes around they’re both miserable. Billy’s been moping around their apartment all day because he had to make a lame-ass excuse to Steve about why they couldn't see each other today. He’s been looking like a lost pup for </span>
  <em>
    <span>hours</span>
  </em>
  <span> because Steve pouted a little over Facetime.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Meanwhile Heather’s been binging shitty rom-coms on Netflix all day, wrapped around a sweater she stole from Robin last week. It barely smells like her anymore, but it’s all she’s got.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’re not at their best.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The itch that comes in late afternoon, when the sun starts to make its way down the horizon, is almost a relief. It might not be pleasant but at least it’s a respite from being bored and lonely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Around dusk they head out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Putting on a pair of running shoes and shorts pretty much covers for the fact that two grown adults sprinting into the woods at night is suspicious as hell. Hopefully. No one’s questioned them yet, anyways. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Probably helps that they run on regular days too. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather stops at the tree-line and sniffs the air. Everything’s sharper than it usually would be. The earth, the clean, dewy scent of wet leaves, Billy next to her, a solid, warm presence, smelling like </span>
  <em>
    <span>home, pack, friend, </span>
  </em>
  <span>musky and comforting under the chemical scent of all the products he slathers on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The wind picks up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sniffs again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kali and her pack are already here. Figures. They’re always eager to let loose, full moon or not. They get especially rowdy this time of the month. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Billy whoops, taking off into the woods with a grin. He must smell them too. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She runs after him, the wind in her hair, cool air needling some colour into her cheeks. It’s exactly what she needed after the day she had. Hell, the week she’s had. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin is, for the first time in weeks, not at the forefront of her mind. There’s nothing but the pull of the moon, the rush of adrenaline that comes with it. The thrill of the hunt-to-be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She won’t be chasing anything but rabbits and her friends, but the buzz is the same. Without the crushing guilt afterwards. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Always late to the party,” Kali chides when Heather and Billy crash through the underbrush into view. She’s standing in the middle of a clearing, hands on her hips and chin tilted like she owns the place. But her smile is warm, tone teasing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her pack surrounds her, grinning, as always, toeing the line between feral and friendly. If Billy wasn’t so relaxed around them Heather would be on edge. They’ve always made her a little uncomfortable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Billy blames her upper-middle-class suburban upbringing, and...well, he’s not wrong. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They embrace their wolves a little </span>
  <em>
    <span>too </span>
  </em>
  <span>fully, every day of the year, always just a little lupine. All of them except Kali, who stays too human, even when shifted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dottie breaks from the group first, leaping forward and crashing into Billy. She’s tiny, werewolf strength be damned, and he barely moves when she hits, just wraps his arms around her to swing her around while she giggles. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You stink, Spots,” Billy says when he puts her down. “When’re you gonna stop puttin’ that shit in your hair?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When it stops bugging you,” she snickers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Funshine is next, slower about moving forward, more deliberate about his hug. Dottie re-attaches herself to Billy, trying to wrap her arms around both of them. It devolves into a cluster of the six of them, all scenting each other, hands in each other's hair, arms wrapped around waists, contentment rolling off them in waves. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather basks in it for a second, the feeling of </span>
  <em>
    <span>pack</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It’s soothing, like sunshine warming her face, like a tight hug from someone you love. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It makes the change easier when it hits, moments later. It’s not the agony it was when she was alone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It still hurts. When there’s hair sprouting like needles pushing through her skin, gums bruising as her canines turn to fangs, of course there’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>pain,</span>
  </em>
  <span> but the ache is dulled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She used to hate this part. The slipping away. Changing places with the wolf inside her and feeling it happen. It felt like being torn away and locked up in her own head. She fought against it every time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t until she met Kali that she realized— was </span>
  <em>
    <span>taught—</span>
  </em>
  <span> that fighting her wolf only makes it worse. She learned to relinquish control instead of having it taken from her. To sink into her own subconscious like a warm bath, relax into it and float away. Become the wolf. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hits the ground panting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Claws dig into the dirt. Running shoes get kicked off. They land somewhere in the underbrush. She can sniff them out later, they aren’t a priority right now.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A whine escapes her, pressure building at the base of her skull as the moon rises. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then it bursts. Relief in technicolour. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s free. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Billy is beside her, breathing hard, a guttural growl ripping from his throat. Pungent, sour distress rolls off him in waves, hits Heather’s nose like a physical blow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s always had trouble relinquishing control.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nudges his arm. Rubs their shoulders together. Kali joins them, lays a hand on his back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He relaxes eventually, agonizing minutes later, his scent softening back to </span>
  <em>
    <span>friend. Pack. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Good. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Around them Kali’s pack howls, pleased. Two of them take off, chasing each other through the trees, another follows, Heather listens to their footsteps grow fainter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then the wind shifts and brings with it a new scent. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Familiar. Sweet, smoky. Hints of spice. Unmistakably </span>
  <em>
    <span>human</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s faint. Far enough away that she can’t hear the heartbeat that should accompany it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she’d recognize that scent anywhere. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Mate. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her wolf howls, louder than it's ever been, drowning out what’s left of Heather and her awareness slips away. </span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>The sun wakes her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She blinks, eyes gummy, vision blurry from sleep, spotty as she adjusts to the light. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something beneath her shifts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather stiffens. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sound of the woods around her she expected, the scent of dried sweat on her skin, dirt under her nails. But she also expected to hear her pack’s heartbeats, smell Billy nearby, the pack blending into an overwhelming but comforting blanket of warmth around her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s only one heartbeat, pounding loud and fast against her ear. One scent. Earthy. Spiced. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And </span>
  <em>
    <span>afraid. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather pushes back, scrambling away from the warm body under her, anxiety tying her stomach in knots. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Robin!?” she squeaks, croaky from sleep, from the change. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> is all Robin manages to say. She’s shaking, wide-eyed. “Heather, what—</span>
  <em>
    <span> what the fuck!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This is...bad. Very bad. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather can’t do much more than gape at Robin, her brain still trying to catch up to what she’s seeing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She tries to remember what even </span>
  <em>
    <span>happened </span>
  </em>
  <span>last night but all she gets are flashes. The turn. Kali’s pack howling around her. The scent of smoke and spice on the wind, of—</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s always been a little overwhelmed by how Robin makes her feel. Felt it immediately. That connection. A desire to know her, get close to her, </span>
  <em>
    <span>keep</span>
  </em>
  <span> her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It terrified her. That Robin is human, that she felt so strongly about someone she barely knew. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That she didn’t quite know </span>
  <em>
    <span>why. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, she knows now. And somehow the truth is more intimidating. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, her wolf doesn’t care about the risks. Didn’t care, when she sprinted through the woods to find Robin. To be near her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She remembers bits and pieces. Robin’s quiet gasp when Heather leapt into view. The fierce protectiveness she felt when she smelled Robin’s fear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, Robin was afraid of </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span>, so getting up close and personal trying to comfort her </span>
  <em>
    <span>really didn’t help</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Not that she realized that at the time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She really should be worried about bigger things right now, but embarrassment colours her cheeks anyways. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dumbass wolf. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin’s breathing is starting to sound labored, panic gripping her tighter the longer Heather is silent. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Heather?” Robin says quietly, tentatively, eyeing her cautiously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Um…good morning?” she responds, grimacing as she does. It’s getting hard to look Robin in the eye. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Really?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Robin laughs, breathlessly and without humor. “Really? Because I was supposed to be waking up in my bed right about now, and instead I spent the night </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span>, </span>
  <em>
    <span>not sleeping</span>
  </em>
  <span> because I blind fucking terror </span>
  <em>
    <span>isn’t a great sedative.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Robin, I—” Heather opens and closes her mouth a few times, still at a loss for words. “I’m—I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>sorry</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Just— what were you even </span>
  <em>
    <span>doing</span>
  </em>
  <span> out here?” she groans, burying her face in her hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Full moon ritual,” Robin snaps, “You know, meditating on— no, you know what,” she shakes her head vigorously, bringing up a hand to gesture at Heather, “I’m not the one who has some fucking explaining to do. What the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Heather?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought the whole,” Heather waves a hand, “Hairy and growling on a full moon...thing, was pretty self-explanatory,” she says sheepishly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> what I’m talking about. Don’t play dumb, you’re no good at it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather blinks. Looks up at Robin, her flushed cheeks and the indignant downturn of her mouth. Despite the circumstances, Heather’s heart flutters. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sighs. “Alright.” Robin raises an expectant eyebrow when Heather pauses to collect her thoughts. “We spend full moons out here to be away from </span>
  <em>
    <span>people</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Running on basic instinct around humans generally doesn’t end well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, no shit. So why am I still alive?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s no way of explaining this </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> keeping her and Robin’s friendship intact. Even if the werewolf thing doesn’t put her off, you never drop the </span>
  <em>
    <span>mate </span>
  </em>
  <span>revelation on someone you’re not even dating. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hell, Heather’s still trying to wrap her head around it. She can only imagine how it would sound to Robin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just tell me,” Robin’s pulse is skyrocketing again, and she’s worrying her shirt sleeve between her fingers. The impassive look on her face is obviously fake, she can’t quite keep herself from chewing the inside of her cheek. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather watches Robin’s jaw work until she smells blood. “Stop that.” She lifts a finger to poke the side of Robin’s face, but Robin tenses. Minutely. Only for a second. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But long enough. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather drops her hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would never hurt you,” she says softly. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>couldn’t.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Robin blinks at her, and opens her mouth like she’s going to speak but no words come out, so Heather continues. </span>
</p>
<p><span>“When I turned last night, I— I know how this sounds but— I could smell</span> <span>you. You smelled like home. Like… well, the point is, I just… had to find you. The details are a little sketchy, I don’t remember much besides needing to be near you. But that was all it was, Robin. Even shifted I knew you. Knew not to hurt you.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Robin’s heartbeat hasn’t slowed. Her expression is still shell-shocked, almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>more </span>
  </em>
  <span>than before. Heather’s heart sinks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes fall, unbidden, to Robin’s chest. The visible pulse under her skin. “You’re still afraid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I—” Robin clutches the front of her shirt reflexively, hand over her pounding heart, and then frowns. “You can hear it,” she says, accusing, and Heather recoils. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry! I can’t help it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Heather….</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Robin groans “This whole time you could hear my </span>
  <em>
    <span>heartbeat?! </span>
  </em>
  <span>And smell my— my </span>
  <em>
    <span>pheromones</span>
  </em>
  <span>, or whatever?” She buries her face in her hands. The tips of her ears are pink. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a werewolf thing! I—” Heather stops, face burning. There’s nothing she can say to make it better. No one likes knowing that someone can smell how long it’s been since you washed your hair, or how well you washed your hands, or exactly what you’ve been binge eating at 3am. It’s invasive. Took Heather ages to get used to it after she was bitten. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In fact, it still makes her uncomfortable. Enough that she tries to ignore what she’s smelling and hearing as much as possible, for the sake of people’s privacy. And her sanity. The walls of her and Billy’s apartment are very thin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I know it’s weird,” Heather says quietly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. It is,” Robin mutters, muffled by her palms. She peeks through her fingers before dropping her hands into her lap. “Look, just… give me some time, okay? I need a nap. And a shower. And…” She sighs. Tugs on a lock of her hair. “Just give me a couple days. Please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather blinks back tears. She knows what Robin is asking for is reasonable. It’s better than how she </span>
  <em>
    <span>could </span>
  </em>
  <span>have reacted. But it still hurts, and a part of her that wonders if a couple days are going to turn into weeks. Months. If she’s just being polite and, in fact, plans on ghosting Heather the second she’s out of sight. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay.” </span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Robin opens the door to her apartment with shaking fingers. There’s so much on her mind, though her thoughts are muddled by sleep-deprivation, foggy and unfocussed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather, hair loose and wild, eyes shining in the moonlight and fixed on Robin. She stopped Robin’s heart even before the revelation that there was something different about her. In the gloom it was hard to tell at first, but details started to stick out. Her eyes were glassy. Fingernails too sharp, jagged and curled into claws. She was barefoot, her posture was all wrong. Her hair brushed aside as she moved and revealed pointed ears, covered in thick fur. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And once Robin started to panic…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather’s reaction made no sense. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She has a lot to think about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Like how devastated Heather looked when Robin told her she needed some space. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck,” Robin mutters, shutting the door behind her. Maybe a little too forcefully. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Robin?!” Steve shouts from the next room. Before she can respond he comes skidding down the hallway and barrels into her. “Where have you </span>
  <em>
    <span>been?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>he demands, too loud and right in her ear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pulls back, hands on her shoulders and gives her an appraising look. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And why are there leaves in your hair?” He pauses, and his eyes widen, full of concern. “Robin, are you alright?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She struggles to come up with an answer that won’t sound like a blatant lie. And besides the fact that he probably wouldn’t believe her anyways, the whole werewolf thing isn’t her secret to tell. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I. Um. I’m fine. Ran into Heather.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You’d think growing up queer in a small town would’ve made her a better liar. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve raises his eyebrows. “Then why do you look miserable.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s…” she sighs, “Ask me tomorrow. Right now I need sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He frowns. Hard. Frowns with his whole body. But he nods anyway, albeit reluctantly. “I’m late for work,” he says, glancing at the clock on the wall like it’s personally responsible for his constant tardiness. “But I’ll call in sick if you want me to stay. No questions asked.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That coaxes a smile out of her. His kindness still catches her off guard sometimes. Even after he moved to California with her when she got into uni out here. After she came out to him and he made her laugh, despite how terrified she was. After he got her through the horror of working at Scoops Ahoy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She steps away from the door, clearing the way for him. “You don’t have any sick days left, dingus. I’ll be okay. Pretty sure I know how to take a nap without supervision.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright.” he eyes her carefully, “But text me if you need anything. I mean it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nods, and tries to school her expression into something encouraging. He’s going to worry no matter what she does but she can at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It doesn’t work, predictably. He leaves their apartment with a crease between his eyebrows and a lingering look at Robin before he closes the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck,” she mutters again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Getting herself showered and into PJs takes longer than she’d like. There are so many leaves tangled in her hair she considers just shaving her head so she can go to sleep, and she keeps drifting off, lulled into a stupor by the hot water. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But once she’s comfortably buried under a mound of blankets, clean, warm, and so, </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> tired, she just lays there, awake. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She keeps replaying her and Heather’s conversation in her head, telling herself she should have reacted better, been </span>
  <em>
    <span>better</span>
  </em>
  <span>, not </span>
  <em>
    <span>run off </span>
  </em>
  <span>because.</span>
  <em>
    <span>..</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>See, the werewolf thing she probably could have handled. It’s ridiculous, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> fucking out there, but Heather’s still Heather. When she isn’t all wolfy anyway. And even that was weird but not a dealbreaker. She didn’t hurt Robin, just scared the piss out of her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All Robin needed was to calm down a little to wrap her brain around it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What she </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>handle is the fact that Heather, because of her fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>werewolf senses</span>
  </em>
  <span>, most definitely knows exactly how attractive Robin finds her. Which is fucking mortifying. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather never struck Robin as the type to dance around a mutual attraction, so, clearly, it isn’t mutual, and Robin’s just been drooling over a girl who doesn’t want her. Again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She needs a few days to lick her wounds. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Preferably starting with a goddamn </span>
  <em>
    <span>nap</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but sleep still eludes her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She tosses and turns and tries not to think about sad, dark eyes. About Heather’s reassurances. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I would never hurt you</span>
  </em>
  <span> and </span>
  <em>
    <span>You smelled like home, </span>
  </em>
  <span>because what the fuck does </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>mean. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>About Heather’s body curled around hers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Needless to say, the countless times Robin imagined spending a night under Heather the context was very different, and the aftermath…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin groans into her pillow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It takes her hours to fall asleep. </span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Two days later Steve has been reassured, Robin has gotten plenty of sleep, and she decides it’s time to stop moping. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her decision to finally put pants on and leave her apartment is made only partially because she has to go to work. Really, she got to this point mostly on her own, promise. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She even sort of plans to talk to Heather today.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What she didn’t plan on was Billy Hargrove ambushing her before her shift. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s just barely tied her apron on when he comes storming in. The cafe isn’t even open yet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What. The </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Did you do,” he snarls, slamming his hands on the counter when he gets close enough, leaning forward to glare at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hargrove, it’s too damn early for this, what are you—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Heather</span>
  </em>
  <span>, dumbass. Tell me what you did to her.” It’s not a question, it’s a demand. There’s a coldness in his expression she’s never seen before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Granted, she’s only ever hung out with him when Steve is around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The way his shoulders tense, like he’s ready for a fight, almost scares her, but she’s too busy getting angry at his belligerence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck you. I didn’t do </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span>—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t lie to me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something clicks into place. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Robin narrows her eyes, “You’re one too, aren’t you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Billy growls, a little more wolf than human. “Yeah, you got a </span>
  <em>
    <span>problem</span>
  </em>
  <span> with that? That what this is about?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, oh my god.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then tell me why Heather’s been a fucking wreck since the full moon. She said you found out about her, and that’s all I can get out of her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… don’t know?” Robin’s stomach flips, and clenches painfully. She tugs on a lock of her hair. “I asked her for a bit of space, that’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>it. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I was going to text her today.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You better.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, calm down, Mr. Macho,” Robin says flatly. God, he’s just the fucking most. She’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>almost</span>
  </em>
  <span> be able to appreciate how much he cares about Heather, if his wrath wasn’t currently focused on her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He glowers a bit longer before retreating. Not even a goodbye, he just storms off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asshole.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s right though, she needs to text Heather. Who’s been just as miserable as Robin, apparently. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And hasn’t told her best friend why. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That bit of information niggles at her. All through her shift it lingers in the back of her brain, hanging back but always </span>
  <em>
    <span>there</span>
  </em>
  <span>, like the buzzing of an insect she can’t find. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By lunchtime it’s gotten so distracting that she’s fucked up five orders and dumped two drinks on her coworker. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thankfully she’s done at noon, and her now very annoyed coworker tells her to piss off the second her shift is over. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hasn’t texted Heather yet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Every time she pulls her phone out she draws a blank. Has no idea what to say. “Hey, I’m done moping, sorry I hurt your feelings” doesn't seem to cut it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stares at her phone for fifteen minutes, motionless and completely at a loss, then sighs and tosses it on the passenger seat of her car. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before she has time to question whether it’s a good idea or not, she pulls out of the parking lot and heads to Heather’s apartment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s only a ten minute drive, but it’s plenty of time to second guess herself. And third guess. And fourth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she’s here, she’s doing this. She’s sweating bullets, but it’s happening. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Two flights of stairs later she’s staring at Heather’s front door, fist poised to knock, and not moving a muscle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She takes a step back in surprise when the door swings open suddenly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin blinks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather’s standing in the doorway, hair loose and frizzy, deep purple shadows under her eyes. It looks like she hasn’t slept in days. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her mouth is hanging open a little, and she’s staring. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh. Hi,” Robin says. “I… can I come in?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes. Yeah, of course,” Heather fumbles, and runs a hand through her hair as she steps aside to let Robin in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stand in the front hall awkwardly after the door shuts behind them, shooting each other nervous glances but unsure what to say. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I—” Robin pauses. Looks down. “Is that my sweater?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather’s eyes widen, and she grasps the hem of it nervously. “Um. Yeah. Sorry, I can—” She starts to pull it off but Robin reaches out to stop her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t.” She wraps her fingers around Heather’s wrist. “It looks good on you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Oh.” Heather’s lips curl in a pleased smile that sparks something in Robin’s chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was being an idiot,” Robin says quickly. Her heart is starting to pound, and she catches Heather glancing down curiously. “I—I just assumed that—” She closes her eyes briefly, frustrated. It’s no less difficult to put into words in person. “Look, you know I’m into you, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather startles, eyes going wide. “What?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You…” Robin gapes at her, “You didn’t know? I thought— I mean, all those things you said about… needing to find me. During the full moon. I— you got my hopes up but then…Look, you can hear heartbeats and shit! How did you not know?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...” Heather grimaces briefly, “It’s not an exact science, okay? I mean, I hoped you were, but you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>human</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Robin,” she folds her arms across her chest, hugging herself, “I was more focused on that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin furrows her brow. “What? Why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seriously? Because all I did was cuddle a little too aggressively and I scared the shit out of you,” her voice cracks and her eyes start to look watery, “You’re my </span>
  <em>
    <span>mate</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Robin, I’m bound to you for life! And I had no idea if you’d ever want to see me again!” She stops suddenly, bites her lip as tears slip down her cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin’s feeling a little like she’s been conked on the head. Dazed. Her brain trying to catch up with what’s going on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s known Heather less than a month and apparently they’re already werewolf married, or whatever the hell </span>
  <em>
    <span>mate</span>
  </em>
  <span> means. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s slightly terrifying, but…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Heather, look at me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She does. Looks up at Robin with red-rimmed eyes, and Robin’s whole chest contracts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without really thinking she leans down, and presses her mouth to Heather’s. It’s brief, chaste, but still makes her stomach flip and warms her from head to toe. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she pulls back Heather sways forward, unbalanced for a moment, her eyelashes fluttering. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to give this a shot, Heather. I… I’m sorry I freaked out, but I swear, I want this. You. All of you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heather grins in response, bright and dazzling. It lights up her whole face, and her eyes start to well up again. Seemingly at a loss for words she instead chooses to launch herself forward, colliding with Robin as she wraps her arms around her and crashes their lips together again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin staggers back a few paces but regains her balance enough to respond in kind, smiling against Heather’s mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She feels right, wrapped around Robin, feels safe. Like home. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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